Dr. Menning is Community Collaborator of the Year
Melanie Menning, MD, an associate professor in the UNMC Department of Family Medicine and a family medicine physician with OneWorld Community Health Center, was honored as the 2024 Community Collaborator of the Year by the Great Plains IDeA-CTR.
The award recognizes an outstanding investigator committed to engaging the community in the pursuit of improving health in the community through research.
In nomination material for the award, Dr. Menning was described as exemplifying the ideal health care professional through her deep commitment to serving Omaha’s underserved and refugee communities.
“Her leadership in bridging gaps between health care and immigrant and refugee communities makes her an exemplary advocate for health equity,” the nomination material said.
Dr. Menning serves as a Spanish-speaking provider at OneWorld and Nebraska Medicine, in addition to serving as associate residency program director for the Family Medicine Community Health Center Track.
She is a 2015 graduate of UNMC College of Medicine and 2019 graduate of UNMC College of Public Health with a Master of Public Health degree.
-Jeff Robb, UNMC strategic communications
Dr. Kaldahl named Outstanding Periodontal Educator
Wayne Kaldahl, DDS, a professor at the UNMC College of Dentistry, received the 2024 Outstanding Periodontal Educator Award from the American Academy of Periodontology during a special ceremony Nov. 1 at the AAP’s 110th Annual Meeting in San Diego.
The award recognizes professionals who have made a lasting impact on the field of periodontics and demonstrated exceptional dedication, innovation and leadership in advancing oral health.
Dr. Kaldahl, widely recognized in the field of periodontology as “the king of evidence-based care,” has been teaching periodontics residents for 45 years and served as the director of the UNMC Periodontics Residency Program at various times between 1987 and 2008.
Paula Cohen Schlemmer, DMD, a clinical instructor and 2024 graduate of the UNMC Periodontics Residency Program, nominated him for the award.
“Dr. Kaldahl has dedicated his career to the periodontal education of dental students, dental hygiene students and residents, and he has produced some of the most influential research in the field of periodontics. He exemplifies what makes Nebraska special – a community of compassionate, skilled periodontists who continually strive to expand their knowledge and improve patient care every day,” Schlemmer said.
Dr. Van Osdel named a fellow of International College of Dentists
Corinne Van Osdel, DDS, an assistant professor at the UNMC College of Dentistry, was named a Fellow of the International College of Dentists, the preeminent Global Dental Honor Society.
Fellowship in the International College of Dentists is by invitation only, and fewer than 3% of dentists in the United States receive this honor.
Dr. Van Osdel teaches dental and dental hygiene students at the college’s Omaha clinics, provides didactic seminars and serves as a clinical supervisor for dental residents in the general practice and advanced dentistry education programs.
She also serves as a director for the Caring for Champions Dental Clinic at the UMNC Munroe-Meyer Institute, where she provides care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and trains others to treat this patient population.
Her colleagues describe her as an invaluable asset to the dental profession.
“Dr. Van Osdel strives for excellence in patient care, creates an engaging and resourceful workplace culture, and forges interdisciplinary relationships to better the community. She works hard to bring essential dental care to those in need as both a clinician and educator,” said Kathy Ausman, DDS, an assistant professor at the UNMC College of Dentistry.
-Erin Wirth, UNMC College of Dentistry
Dr. Sass awarded ACP teaching scholarship
RemyGrace Sass, MD, UNMC Department of Internal Medicine chief resident, was awarded the American College of Physicians Herbert S. Waxman Chief Resident Teaching Scholarship. Dr. Sass is one of only six chief residents nationwide to be recognized with this scholarship. In addition to recognizing outstanding chief medical residents, the scholarship also provides an opportunity to assist in teaching popular clinical skills workshops under the guidance and mentorship of expert faculty in the Clinical Skills Center, part of ACP’s Internal Medicine Meeting which will be held April 3 to 5, 2025, in New Orleans.
Dr. Cloonan to co-chair international residency education conference
After a highly competitive application and selection process, Madeline Cloonan, MD, general surgery resident in the UNMC Department of Surgery, was accepted as one of five resident co-chairs for the 2025 International Conference on Residency Education. ICRE is the largest international conference for graduate medical education in North America and will be held in Quebec City, Canada, Oct. 30-Nov. 1, 2025. Dr. Cloonan is the first UNMC resident to be named to this position.
-Maria Ball, UNMC Department of Internal Medicine